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Quick roster thoughts

Two obvious questions: What does the fourth line look like, and what happens when O’Donnell comes back?

Take the second question first. When Sean O’Donnell returns from his two-game suspension, the Kings will have seven defensemen, plus Peter Harrold. Alec Martinez would probably be the seventh guy, and that takes us back to the usual young-player question: NHL vs. AHL? In Martinez’s case, it’s hard to see him just sitting on the NHL roster, so that probably means a move, and perhaps the return of a forward since Harrold can play defense. The wild card in all this is what might happen if the Kings were to pick up a veteran, left-shot defenseman to put in the mix. It wouldn’t be shocking, but it’s just a thought right now.

Fourth line? Ivanans and Lewis are most likely in, and then it’s either Harrold or Richardson, at least until Clune’s groin is healthy. Harrold vs. Richardson? I’m not sure you could convince me that one of them is a huge upgrade over the other at this point.

Can you compare Maatinez to Hickey, I watched him play in Vegas and was just wondering why he was playing instead of Hickey. Who is tougher IVAN or WestG

Jonny

Id take richardson over Harrold easily. He’s strong on the boards, he’s in quick on the forecheck, and strong on the puck downlow… I was hopin for a Clune-Richardson-Westgarth… but Ivanans is just in the box way too much. Just like last night

Paul from Oxnard

I saw the headline and thought “Jonathon Quick has thoughts about our roster…this should be interesting” 😀

Irish Pat

Quick roster thoughts…

For a moment I thought this post was going to about Johnathan Quick and his musings about the team in front of him 🙂

I admit I’m a closet Harrold fan. I’m not sure why, but I think it’s because I view him as an underdog. I like him as our 4th line center for now. That’s not to say there shouldn’t be an upgrade, but I think he fits best for what we need to start the season. Solid, consistent, gamer who gives his all every shift. I know, pathetic.

I would think Martinez goes back when OD returns regardless of whether or not we pick up more D. As far as the 4th line I would prefer Richardson to Harrold but TM really seems to like whatever it is he feels Harrold brings to the team.

EASportsMgt

Stevebone Martinez to Hickey
Martinez I think pairs better with Doughty while OD is out. He is also a stay at home defensemen and rarely joins the rush. However he is a good enough skater to join it and get back in time. Hickey, has much more offensive potential but also has a little less pro experience. The bottomline I think is that Martinez has less of a cap hit, in case they want to sign someone else, and pairs better with Doughty.

I don’t know why Richardson is on the team and I don’t know why we sent a 2nd rounder to get him. I’d rather have Harrold. At least he can play forward and D. Not that he’s any more talented though. IMO we’ll be a better team when both of them are gone and are replaced by one actual NHL player.

Maybe we could somehow genetically combine Richardson and Harrold into one realy hockey player. Any geneticists here?

Renbe

Now someone tell me how this teams line-up is any tougher than last year…and don’t tell me Smyth. Every grinder/tough player we saw all pre-season did not make team??? Same old Kings…talk…talk…talk

EternalOptimist

I’m a closet Harrold fan as well :)… actually I think he was one of the most consistent players last year. Good effort, determination and willing to give/take a hit to make a play. These are traits that you want to have in at least one player on every line(Smyth on the first, Brown on the second and Simmonds on the third) to help drive it. These “unsung heroes” are undervalued and are what winning teams are comprised of… e.g. Maxime Talbot(IMO MVP of the stanley cup finals).

Also, I wouldn’t be so quick to cast him as a career 4th line/role player… he’s only played one year right?

Ummm…Renbe…did you really think a bunch of 18 year old kids were going to make the team?

Wait…why am I even responding? Serioulsy…nobody can see it, but I’m smacking my forehead right now.

28 KINGS

It’s too bad you can’t post images into the comments, because a facepalm image would sure come in handy.

Chuck

Disagree with you on 1 point Rich. Harrold is servicable, and flexible enough to play both forward and defense. He’s the NHL version of a baseball utility player. Richardson is a waste of a roster spot. Heck, he’s a waste period. I wish we could get that 2nd round pick back.

I too thought that Quick was going to give a roster opinion as well, when I saw the headline.

jet

renbe — Can I remind you of last season’s opening night roster with Boyle, Moulson, O’Sullivan, Moeller, Pressing and Calder? These aren’t exactly guys who could get a cameo in the Sopranos.

mask0425x

Cheap veteran left shot D-man to ride the pine for most of the season – how about Ossi Vaananen? I think he would be a perfect candidate with almost 500 NHL games, some offensive provess and willingness to drop the gloves if necessary. The guy just signed with Minsk in the KHL – he probably never saw Minsk prior to signing – that place has gotta be a contender for the least attractive European capital, just wait for the fall weather, lol! What’s the league minimum this year, somewhere around $550K?

vicarious

Seems to me its hard for me to think that this year’s team upgrades much from last year’s team. IMO, our forwards are relatively weak compared to the other NHL teams. Hope I’m wrong.

For these 4th line guys, seems to me Harrold is the mentally toughest. I do not want to pay good money to watch Clune|Avery|whoever mouth off and fight some guy. Whoop de do. Seems to me that Simmonds already fills the middleweight enforcer role and that kid is a real player, contributing on the ice and improving. Since last years Kings needed more scoring, I think they should structure the 4th line to chip in more points than an energy line would do. TM generally prefers tough over skill: the players all know that and so we saw the # of fights were up.

Kings Fan Since72

I am sorry all you closet Harrold fans…. why?
I do not care if he can play D or FW or C, and is flexible. He played last year and the year before, he should be out this year, including Richardson & Ivanans. Harrold is Murray’s teachers pet.

The Kings are wasting time here. They need the 4th line to be new, young & energized, not the ole samo samo. I am tired of the Kings brass DL + Murray playing it boring safe…, when waiting in the wings are hungry young talented players who the Kings need to have in the line up. The time is now folks, wtf is going on in that Kings Organization.

All you Kings fans thinking that 18 year old’s cannot make the team are ridiculous. They can when you have Ivanans the penalty idiot that loses games time and time again, Harrold & Richardson who we have all seen long enough. Please all of you, go smack your head again and wake up.

I do not like the fact that if Richardson & Harrold & Ivanans do stay, then they blow hard after a few games and dont work out again…Doe! Then you bring up the guys you just told sorry you didn’t make the team….huh? what kind of stupid mentality are the Kings brass trying to show here. To me, if I was recalled, I would say like, wtf? yes.. again thats what they would think, and I think that hurts the mental state of those guys they should have started the season.

The Kings are stacked at young D, why have Harrold even considered as D, thats idiotic. Harrold a Center? The Kings have the most Centers in the league on the team and players who were sent down who are Centers, huh?

Lewis,Clune,Clifford,Schenn should be here, Martinez and Hickey should be playing D.

Having Richardson,Harrold & Ivanans is the same as last year, wasted time, wasted space. Westgarth is no where near and NHL player and glad they sent him down, even if he is young and can fight, he has no talent to play the game. I would take 2 Clune type players over our two so called heavy weights anyday.

DL & Murray, lets not make this season a bust all ready huh? Fix the 4th line with the right guys for christ sake, and make the D right. Dump all those others man
@#$%^&*(!)

The Future Kings GM Hath Spoken

wavesinair

“Lewis,Clune,Clifford,Schenn should be here, Martinez and Hickey should be playing D.”

Lewis, Clune, and Martinez are on the team!!!

Stonewall

Wow. Such concern and disgust over three or four shifts a period.

VanKingsFan

Re: Kings Fan Since72

If you are the future GM of the Kings… then the future looks bleak.

I guess USA Hockey is full of idiots too eh since Harrold was invited to Team USA’s olympic camp.

“Ivanans loses games time and time again” Come on now… are you honestly blaming a large number of our losses on Ivanans?? I have heard several interviews with players and coaches stating that his presence alone is really good for the mind set of the skilled players on our team and very bad for the mind set of the opposing team.

Clifford, maybe makes the team if we didnt have Simmonds or Clune. Schenn is WAYY better off going back to Brandon. Look up Gilbert Brule for an example of a young stud whose career was ruined by being rushed. The Brandon Wheat Kings are now STACKED, with Glennie and Calvert on Schenns line AND the Memorial cup is in Brandon this year, therefore, automatic berth.
I could keep going on the importance of playing important minutes in big games, but I doubt your still reading this anyways…

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This is a smart blog. I mean it. You have so much knowledge about this issue, and so much passion. You also know how to make people rally behind it, obviously from the responses. Youve got a design here thats not too flashy, but makes a statement as big as what youre saying. Great job, indeed.

Who is behind Inside the Kings blog?

Elliott Teaford is an award-winning hockey reporter based in Southern California and witnessed the L.A. Kings win the Stanley Cup in 2012 and in '14. He grew up playing outdoors on the streets of Philadelphia. He also watched the Flyers bully their way to consecutive Stanley Cups in the 1970s, and makes no excuses for their quasi-legal play.

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